Why Vaan Wouldn't Last a Day as a Sky Pirate
by Shanhime
Summary: An attempt at Bal/Vaan whilst trying to keep them in chara and deliver a meaningfull story. All three might actually not happen. But bleh. Kinda silly and mostly Vaan orientated. Rating may go up. ON HIATUS UNTIL I GET MORE INSPRASHON
1. Carrots

**Disclaimer: **Nope! Still don't own.

**Summary** : My attempt at a fan fiction post game. . Maybe some Balthier/Vaan ? mwahahahaha

**A/N**: .o.o….Why do I have a dead pixel…and why does my little sister keep biting me?

**Chapter One**

**Carrots**

It had been a quiet morning in most of Ivalice in gerneral within the village itself it had been even more so that usual. Nothing had suggested chaos would soon ensue. The Green Word had not mentioned that there would be any annoyances today but then, the Green Word had no control over the will, or rather, stubbornness of the Humes. Still, Jote HAD warned this particular annoyance before about his "adventures" within the village. And yet, it seemed a waste of breath, for this hume-child didn't get the message despite how many times she repeated herself. The other Viera watched, from a distance of course, as she paced the ground of her hut, expect her to find source of divine wisdom. All she could do was glare at the intruder.

Two wood warders, two of few whom were brave enough to make contact, had grabbed the boy by the wrists and dragged him of her. But not without a fight.

"Hey, let go, OW! Stop it. I only asked a quest-owwwww!"

Jote heard them approach from inside. She had to think quickly and carefully lest she make a mistake.

"Why are you here? Have we not warned you humes to refrain from entering our village? How did you get in? Is Fran here again?"

Vaan looked at her quizzically, or he would have if he knew the meaning of the word. How many questions was that? He wondered hiding a smirk.

"I was bored. I wanted to see Myrn," he said dumbly.

"…I…Mjrn," she corrected "is not to be consorting with the humes and neither must you consort with us. LEAVE." She was growing impatient.

"You need the permission of the wood to enter here. Is Fran with you?"

"Sort of…" Vaan replied with a lopsided grin.

"I did," replied a quiet yet firm voice from behind one of the trees, a wood warder with black armour approached.

"Rael? Why?" Jote probed. It was no secret that the Viera were not permitted to invite strange creatures into the village. If this was true it would result in the most severe of punishments.

"We passed each other in the jungle, though I ignored him, spoke persistently did he and I, searching for the village shake him loose I could not. Immediately afterwards, he comments on my ears, mocks my armour and-"

"I didn't mock-"

"SILENCE. Rael, please continue."

"He….asked me if I would like a carrot.." Rael looked at the floor. The Viera holding Vaan exchanged looks. Jote sighed. Loudly.

"Do you-"

"VAAAN!!" A males voice broke the silence. The Viera turned. The voice belonged to a sky pirate and a following Viera who stood there, looking impatiently at the hume-child. "Do we even want to know what you've done this time?"

Vaan didn't both to speak knowing full well that Jote would yell at him again. He shot her a look. The look was returned tenfold. It was worse than Lady Ashe's.

Balthier narrowed his eyebrows.

"Judging by the look of things you brought up carrots again, Vaan?"

"I-"

"Quiet Hume-child," Jote looked at Balthier and approached him making sure not to stray to close. "You were supposed to be watching him I presume?"

"I turn around for one second-" Balthier said simply spreading his hands in an "I don't know" gesture.

Fran placed a finger on her lip and signalled for him to be quiet. Balthier rolled his eyes and put a hand on his hip. Not at her, but at the situation.

"Jote, he means no harm of it, well enough you know to ignore small irritations, come!" In an attempt to avoid any worse confrontations, she grabbed Vaan's ear and dragged him from the village. The other Viera gasped to see her willing touch another hume but later Jote revealed that grabbed one by the ear meant putting them in their place. Technically, she was right.

Balthier attempted a smile, he did not receive one back.

"Right…we have things to do, you know…people to see…Vaan's to punish…graves to dig…"

The Viera still did not smile. Balthier ran.

\/

"OWWWWW…FRAAAAAN!! OWWW, OWWWWWWW" Vaan's moaning echoed across the whole of Golmore as Fran practically kicked across half of it.

"Wow…" Balthier said casually, he ran his hands through his hair, "that has to be he most uncomfortable I've ever felt in a crowd of women…Viera must be unsusceptible to my charms."

"What charms?" Fran replied still pulling at Vaan's ear.

Balthier ignored the comment and glared at Vaan.

"What possessed you to go in there Vaan? Wasn't it bad enough the first time?" Balthier asked. Fran looked at him out of the corner of one eye.

"You help matters not. You have respect for nought." she said sternly.

"That's different," Balthier said, a hint of a grin in his voice, "I'm the leading man."

Vaan grinned too.

"Nuh-uh, you're nothing compared to me."

Balthier blinked.

"That's correct, you are certainly something in your league." It wasn't a compliment.

Vaan grinned.

"Nevertheless, you are a grounded sky-pirate in training." The grin disappeared. "You deserve it, you can't just sneak it to play with the bunny girls." Fran's face was priceless.

\/

By the time the trio made it back to the Strahl, parked on the Ozmone Plain, it was already dark. The hills looked sinister as the tried not to disturb anything in their attempts to return to the Strahl. They walked in quietly, at least, Fran and Balthier did. Vaan tripped over the threshold and almost flew into the controls. Balthier's quick reactions went into effect and he grabbed Vaan's waist just in time to stop the boy from knocking the Strahl into Warp Speed.

"Vaan, haven't you caused enough trouble for one day? Now get to bed. And make sure it's yours and not mine."

Vaan decided not to comment deciding the next comeback would be worse. He stormed off to his quarters. Although Penelo had slept in the same room as Fran usually did something must've happened while Vaan was off torturing rabbits. Anyway, normally Vaan had a room to himself but tonight was different and he refused to share with a girl. Anyway, he could always ask Fran to bunk with Balthier right? Surely it had happened before right? He couldn't quite recall but last year when the Lady Ashe and Basch fon Ronsenburg had accompanied them surely they had to make do? Vaan hoped that at least one person was sharing then because the bathroom was not comfy.

As he walked along the lower deck in the darkness to Fran's quarters in the left hand side of the airship he began to wonder about Fran. Did she sleep with all that gear on? That had to be uncomfortable but there didn't seem to be any clasps or things…was she welded in? He cast that last thought from his mind as soon as it entered, laughing nervously.

He knocked on her bedroom door loudly thinking that even if he rapped quietly those ears would stop her missing anything anyway.

"Yes?" Fran answered the door, she either hadn't gotten ready for bed - as her armour was still on - or she really did sleep in it.

"Penelo kinda snuck in my bed and…I'm not a girl.."

"You wish me to go?"

"…Hey…Fran…" Vaan's curiosity got the better of him. "Can I ask you a question?" Fran folded her arms.

"It's not about carrots is it?"

"No-"

"Or big teeth?"

"No, I-"

"Or my age?"

"Nope…."

"Then what is it?"

"Um…Do you sleep naked or with your armour on?"

Fran slammed the door.

"Oops…"

Vaan sighed and turned to walk away. Perhaps - he shuddered at the thought - Balthier would let him sleep with him? NO. BESIDE HIM! He corrected his thoughts quickly, blushing in spite of himself and grateful that only he could read his own thoughts.

He knocked on Balthier's room door and when there was no reply, walked right in. It was small yet larger than his and there was space for a bed, a wardrobe, (Who's, Vaan thought sniggering) and a little more.

"Hey Fran, I've come across some nasties in the bathroom…it might be a good idea to get some more toothpaste….I fear they've eaten it," Balthier walked into view out of the en-suite bathroom staring a what was once a tube of toothpaste, now green.

Vaan articulated his thoughts on the situation accordingly.

"Huh?"

Balthier looked up.

"Oh, Vaan…if I knew you were so confused off about my previous ORDER I would have asked you to write down any questions in a letter, which I won't read." Vaan sighed.

"Penelo stole my bed." Balthier nodded and walked back through the bathroom.

"Alright, but I refuse to spoon with you." he replied. Vaan was beginning to wonder what exactly it was that he admired about the sky pirate.

**Should I continue? Yes, No, Frog? Tell me!**


	2. Vaan's Latest Ego Trip

**_A/N_ _Thanks for the reviews so far people You make me happy 3 I've just taken out my lip-ring and if I press my finger to the piercing and chew my lip, it says suctioned there! It's awesome!…Or am I just easy to amuse? Anyway…Enjoy XD._**

**Chapter Two**

**Vaan has a moment**

Upon waking from a beautiful dream that he couldn't quite remember, Vaan found himself on the floor. He tried to remember why he was there, but no matter how much he strained the ill used organ in his skull, he couldn't. Why did he go searching around last night for another bed if he was just going to end up on the floor anyway? He opened his eyes groggily, the light stabbing mercilessly into them. He couldn't have felt worse supposing he had a hangover. Did he? If he did, a horrendous, sobering sight lay before him. On Balthier's bedroom floor, where he lay, were; half the food supplies painted on the wall and he was wearing a wolf pelt.

"Ah, Vaan you never told me that you were a sleep walker." The posh Archadian voice was brimming with amusement. Vaan blinked and looked up at the sniggered sky pirate lying on his side, staring down at him. His elbow was leaning against the bed, his head on his hand. "You even unlocked the door…always wonder why Penelo locked you in your room from the outside…I could summon a guess that this happen a lot then?"

Vaan said nothing. He recalled being told he sleepwalked by Migelo. Back then it was minor, maybe pinch a few gil here, eat a carpet there…but something told Vaan he wasn't wearing anything else under the wolf skin. That something was Balthier's smug face.

"You're cleaning this up, by the way."

\/

Breakfast consisted of leftover Ozmone hare stew which Fran politely declined saying she wasn't hungry. Vaan took the longest to make the connection and had to ask. Penelo slapped him while Balthier went after a frazzled Fran.

"It's a wonder she hasn't stuck an arrow in you yet, Vaan."

"What I do? I only asked."

"Honestly. What, did you think she was just anorexic or something? Would YOU eat a bangaa or a Viera?"

"Well…maybe not a bangaa but…it depends what you mean when you say eat…"

"Vaan. Shut up."

Outside, Balthier was trying to convince Fran not to put her head in the jaws of a nearby werewolf. Between the smell of the rabbit stew and Vaan's general ignorance she was beginning to gain a rather severe headache.

"He certainly doesn't amuse me if that's what you mean," Fran sighed, hand on hip. "I feel like Jote…" But Balthier shook his head and placed a comforting arm on her shoulder.

"Never say that Fran, you've had to deal with more of Vaan that she'll ever-"

Suddenly, as if sensing they didn't want to see him, Vaan appeared at the window. He was sporting a cheesy grin and a carrot was balancing off the end of his nose. Fran cocked an arrow and aimed it at the window.

"Fran…easy now…"

If she broke the window of his precious Strahl. Vaan would die.

\/

"Hey um…can someone please let me out of here?"

"No."

Vaan sat upside down hanging off his bed. He was bored.

Everyone had left for a last minute trip to Rabanastre to get some more supplies, Vaan having eaten them all and painting the walls with the rest of them. In doing so they'd locked Vaan in his room. They weren't willing to risk taking him with them nor willing to run the risk of letting him run off with the ship. How stupid of Balthier to teach him the controls. He felt lied to . Balthier had found his trip through the forest amusing; he'd even said so himself. Yet, out of respect for his beloved Viera, he refused to let it end without proper action. It would have been indignant and un-gentlemanly of him not to punish Vaan for his misdeeds.

"- And I am never un-gentlemanly Vaan, I refuse to do anything that could be considered harmful to my status."

"Except for a constant ego-trip.""That was uncalled for, it's coming out of your lessons." Balthier said sternly and left the room, locking it behind him. Vaan sighed and wondered when his "lessons" would properly begin…

So now he sat down on his bed. Thinking. It was something he hadn't tried before so it was necessary that he sat down. He remembered the past year. How a single stone, the Dusk Shard has cast his fate. A lucky turn from a depressing past to an exciting future filled with Occuria only knew what. It had been hard in the past but now he was with people who care about him, well, Penelo at least. Reks…what could he say about the little brother he'd fought for, risked his life and his sanity for. He was sure he'd be proud even if Reks had been the brains of the family and Vaan hadn't really had the education Reks did.

Vaan recalled his first meeting with the princess. Hilarious in anyone's books really. He'd caught her as she jumped out of reach of several imperials of what should've been her own army. An everyday street-rat, the lowest of the low and here he had just saved a Royal Princess in hiding then went on to restore her to her former glory and help her free Dalmasca from the evil clutches of Vayne.

He'd already met Fran and Balthier. He laughed again, remembering Balthier's entrance as thought it had barely just happened. The sky pirate never changed.

Vaan was and had never, been good with politics. Yet he knew now that Vayne Solidor had been trying to turn Rabanastre slowly into Old Archades. A permanent city of recession. The power hungry Lord was only aiming to spread his land along through Dalmasca, Bancour and onto Rozzaria.

The more Vaan thought about it, the more he began to feel please with himself. It was all him really. His plan to steal the stone. His chance meeting with Fran and Balthier. His extra weight on the scooter that caused them to crash into the Garimsythe Waterway and meet the Princess. His friend Penelo who had to be rescued from Bhujerba and his foolhardy attitude that had them put in Nalbina where Basch was freed and didn't die of starvation and boredom.

\/

"How?"

"The child needs to be set right. Perhaps the Queen Ashelia would find some form of punishment for him…" Balthier decided watching the hyperactive teenager bounce upon and down on his bed with a crudely made paper hat. He was insisting they call him "The Great Master of Fate". Balthier was thinking up something along the lines of "The Greatest Disaster to Date" but smirked at it instead of revealing it to the others.

"The Palace would crumble on site of him," Penelo said shaking her head and wondering how on earth she could have, at one point, done anything for him to keep him from starving to death. Balthier's grin only widened and Fran decided now was as good a time as any to cast silence on Vaan.

"I'm the Great Vaan fon Fate Master!!"

Penelo thudded her head against the wall.

**_A/N_ _GAH!! Sorry It's so short. I couldn't find the book I'd written the story in. I might have to re-write it. (headwall) I hope you enjoyed what is there anyway._**


	3. Awkward Nights

A/N : I've been ill! Pity me!! And review! I can see you all! Under the stats page I have lurking people! You know who you are and I will eat you.

I found my book! My little sister had it under her bed. It's barely legible from crayon marks but ugh…at least I found it. Um….I STILL don't have a new lip ring and I'm getting the Japanese version of Crisis Core YAY ME!! It's a good day to be Shan-chan! Enjoy my story please. Love you all and myself. Also thank you to the lovely people who have favourited me and this story. You make me write stuff! You do! XD

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Awkward Nights**_

_The trip back to Balfonheim saw the four more restless than usual. It was probably Vaan's fault. When Balthier was in a foul mood so was everyone else and the restless blonde puppy had just knocked his hair gel in the toilet._

_They paused at the Phon Coast for the night when dusk seeped into the sky and the stars began to wink at them. They could have easily continued their journey with the autopilot on but Balthier was less willing to leave the controls now that he had taught Vaan to drive his precious sky-jewel. With his in mind, he hid the keys at night._

_This very night, Vaan yawned as he made his way to his room hoping Penelo wouldn't be in it. His thoughts turned to the beach. It was rare that they would stop in Phon territory. Maybe he could sneak out to go to the beach in the morning before they left. He opened the door of his room and paused in the doorway. There was a lump in his bed._

"_Penelo! I-"_

_The lump sat up._

"_Now really…do I have such a feminine figure? (Um…yes actually…)_

"_Balthier?"_

"_You don't kick as much as Fran…and frankly, in a Viera that isn't a desirable trait…those damn heels…anyway, she has taken my quarters hostage…"_

_Vaan sniggered, that was his question answered._

"_Balthier…this is still my bed…"_

_The Brunette narrowed his eyes at Vaan._

"_Did I not share with you Vaan, in your time of need?" he said with a raised brow._

_Vaan sighed and walked into the room._

"_Yeah…but-"_

_The door shut and he heard Penelo giggling from the outside._

"_PENELO!! OPEN UP!"_

"_NO! Remember, you're grounded, you have to do what Balthier says, he's the oldest."_

_Vaan went pale._

"_I like this girl Vaan, but I am not the oldest, Fran is."_

"_I can hear you pirate."_

"_Damn…."_

_\/_

"_Vaan? Are you asleep?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Well then, remove your feet."_

"_I can't, they're attached to my ankles!…OW!"_

_\/_

"_Balthier?"_

"_Zzzzzzzz"_

"_LET GO OF ME!! I AM NOT FRAN!!"_

_\/_

_The next morning, Vaan had absconded out of the window and the evidence was startling. Blonde hair and dusty prints marked the windowsill and the open window let in a draught._

"_Well…" Balthier said non-nonchalantly, "Less trouble for us, Penelo, do you want to follow him?"_

"_No, he'll come back when he's hungry."_

"_That's what I'm worried about," Balthier replied._

"_Unless he had been kidnapped by bounty hunters," Fran added hopefully. Penelo tried very hard not to think about what kind of bounty she meant._

"_Kidnapped?" Balthier couldn't resist a laugh. "I'll give them five minutes with the boy."_

_He left the Strahl in search, Fran and Penelo watched him from an open window. He breathed in deeply as though sensing something they couldn't._

"_My powers of deduction tell me the scamp had gone swimming."_

"_But…how?" Penelo asked Fran confused. Fran gave a half smile and pointed to the footsteps in the sand leading from the Strahl to the water._

_\/_

"_OW…ow….OWWWWWW! Let go of my eaaaarrr!!"_

"_No."_

"_Can I at least put some clothes on??" Vaan whined._

"_No. Strahl, now."_

_\/_

_Balthier sniggered as Fran dragged a tomato red, naked sky-pirate wannabe into the ship and locked him in his room. The window had already been pre-locked and the key was now attached to Balthier's key chains just in case. So, yet another day, Vaan was left to the confines of his room. He quickly dressed, glad Penelo hadn't seen him. Balthier, he didn't mind, he was also male and Fran didn't seem to care but Penelo might not be of the same mind._

_When they did eventually reach Balfonheim and unlocked Vaan's chambers, Vaan exploded out of the room and tore off the ship the familiar smells of fish and spices hitting his nose without mercy. His feet pounded against the aerodrome floor but spectators ignored him, the majority of the locals already used to Vaan's ridiculous behaviour and tantrums. Balthier followed. Not willing to disgrace himself by running after the rat he took long strides and tried to keep him in his line of sight. But Vaan had a back-up plan._

_He snuck into the Bazaar and hid. The old woman guarding the magic key he hid under but said nothing. She gave him a look that said "touch anything and die". He heard Balthier's shoes clomp past. There was no mistaking that gait. With a snigger, Vaan imagined him take his "tough guy" stance that was utterly a waste of effort in his opinion. His shoulders would be stiff, arms swinging stiffly and his lips pulled into a tight lipped frown._

"_VAAN, THIS IS NO WAY FOR A SKY PIRATE TO BEHAVE…" Balthier shouted, earning a few stares. Vaan sniggered even more and gauged the time it would take Balthier to pass him. He jumped to his feet and doubled back._

_He looked back as he ran, Balthier was turning the corner towards the old Reddas Manse. With wild laughter he turned around just in time to get a face full of Fran's cleavage._

"_This seems to be re-occurring child…now, tell me what good reason there is, that I should not return you to the Strahl."_

"_Uh…my ear hurts?" Vaan tried with a cheeky grin._

_Fran tapped her foot impatiently and folded her arms across aforementioned cleavage._

"_I hate being grounded! I wanna go fight something!"_

_A smiled played on Fran's lips. _

"_This, soon enough, will happen," she said simply, "Balthier is going to slaughter you."_

_Vaan laughed._

"_I kid you not."_

"_Nice work Fran." A firm hand clasped on Vaan's shoulder and his heart momentarily stopped. The grip was tight and heavy, Vaan knew escape was unlikely._

"_Traitor." _

_Fran nearly laughed. Nearly._

"_Fran is MY assistant Vaan, MY partner, she has never been on your side."_

"_You hate me."_

_Balthier looked startled._

"_If I hated you, would I have taken in as an apprentice and put up with your antics for such a length of time?"_

"_But all we do is boring stuff! When are we going on our next raid?" _

_Balthier sighed and shook his head before grabbing Vaan's ear and hauling him back to the Strahl._

"_You'll get your next raid when you can be trusted not to jump out of low hovering airships naked."_

_Point._

_\/_

_Fran sold the un-needed loot at the market with Penelo to teach her about bartering while Balthier, never learning, taught Vaan some essential knowledge about airship mechanics. Nono, the moogle could have easily sorted out the problems himself but it was another skill that Vaan would need to know._

"_Now turn this bit, this bit Vaan, no…there, yes," Balthier corrected him, trying to be patient._

"_Kupo-po?"_

"_Ah, Nono, my good chap, take a break for now, I'm just teaching Vaan some things."_

"_Like this?" Vaan asked him._

"_Yes, now, these-"_

_Nono looked miffed that someone else was messing around with his job. The pom-pom twitched dangerously but he said nothing._

"_-glossair syringes, this is rather complicated so-PAY ATTENTION- if it wasn't for this knowledge Rabanastre would be dust-LISTEN!"_

_Vaan rolled his eyes._

"_Oh...sugar...Vaan, Nono had the liquid magicite…would you?"_

"_Sure." Vaan was desperate for a break anyway, perhaps Nono had left the aerodrome and Vaan could buy a chocolate biscuit or cactus fruit to eat while Balthier yelled at him. He ran after the moogle, jumping over the cables and jump leads before reaching him at the aerodrome door. _

"_What's wrong Kupo? Balthier realise only I can do it? I'd better still be getting paid…kupo-po-po."_

"_Balthier needs the glossair ring stuff." Vaan replied having ignored the creatures rant._

"_Oh…po…po…I left it in the Strahl…in the stock room."_

"_Oh…thanks…" Vaan panted and ran back to the docking bay to find Balthier but he was nowhere to be seen._

"_BALTHIER?" he yelled looking around wildly "NONO SAYS-"_

_He never finished that sentence, in his haste, he forgot to look down and tripped over Balthier's foot as he pulled out from under one of the engines and landed on top of him with a thud.. Balthier was protected by his chest plate but Vaan nearly winded himself._

"_Vaan, please, turn your affections else where."_

_Vaan reddened as he scrambled off of the smug sky-pirate._

"_It's in the stock...engine…thing…" he mumbled, not making eye contact. Balthier wiped his hands free of oil with a handkerchief and sighed._

"_I suppose I'll get it then, shall I?" Balthier decided and walked inside without confirmation._

_**A/N : Ugh….headache…I don't know if that's also Vaan's fault or not. XD Isn't italics fun?**_


	4. A Tender Moment

**A/N : Inspiration is like a woman. It eludes you for ages then decides it's going to co-operate after you've already changed your mind. I may have to strangle something. Where's my little sister….oh, and about the comment in the previous chapter, I have an action figure of Balthier and he DOES have a woman's figure! The hips are HUGE!**

**Chapter Four**

**A Tender Moment**

Despite the un-wanted contact and embarrassing situation Vaan and Balthier had found themselves in, Vaan still found Balthier in his bed. He was already asleep and Vaan was grateful. It would have been far too embarrassing to have to ask him to leave. And explain why.

He climbed quietly into his bed and settled down onto "his side". It was already pre-heated and he had just began to relax when he shot out of the bed with a scream.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGHHH!!"

Balthier opened his eyes and tried to give his best attempt at a quizzical look given the situation.

"Your feet are cold…" Vaan mumbled climbing back in. Balthier turned around.

_Linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline_

Vaan had a problem. He needed to go to the bathroom. Technically, there were two problems with that.

First of all, the door was locked. Secondly, he was on the wrong side of it. This led to one big problem. Desperation.

He thought about asking Balthier if he had a key but didn't want to be punished with cold feet on his back when he returned. So, he quietly as possible scrambled out of bed and raked through Balthier's clothes looking for pockets and a solution to opening the door.

Clink. A pair of keys fell onto the carpet. He picked them up. Balthier hadn't stirred, success. He looked in Balthier's direction to see the fruits of his success. A pair of unexpected eyes stared coolly back.

Vaan nearly screamed but held his breath until his fright had passed. Luckily, he still needed the toilet.

"Vaan…."

"Uh…SLEEPWALKING! I'm sleepwalking!" he announced quickly and closed his eyes. He half ran towards the door and crashed into it. Okay, so it was closer than he thought.

"Ow….."

"Vaan…what are you doing?" Balthier sat up. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He settled on squinting.

"I NEEED TO GO TO THE TOILEEEETTTTT!!" he exclaimed unlocking the door and running out into the hallway. Balthier shook his head and made himself comfortable again trying not to laugh because Vaan had forgotten about the en-suite bathroom. He heard the flush and the sound of water running and the menace returned. Vaan was disorientated from the light and tripped over Balthier's trousers hitting his head off the wall with a loud crack.

"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" he squealed. Balthier's eyes popped open.

"Vaan…" he growled in warning.

"I hit my head again…" he explained massaging his forehead.

"As if it wasn't obvious…" Balthier groaned massaging his own brow. He too had a sore head.

Vaan crawled in again.

"NYAAAA!""What now?"

"Your feet are still cold." Vaan whined. His eyes had began to water from the fight between his head and the wall. He whimpered yet again. "It's gonna bruise!!"

"Vaan…you WILL bruise if you don't go to sleep NOW, I'm warning you!"

Vaan snarled in irritation, annoyed from the pain in his brain.

"Well if you have a problem then go find Fran!"

"No," Balthier said simply. "Because then _I _will bruise, and I'd rather not do that."

Linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline

The next day, Vaan and Balthier were not happy. Vaan had a bruise on his forehead and it wasn't because he'd head butted the wall and Balthier's once handsome face had been desecrated by eye bags.

"One would think, you did not sleep well." Fran said as they entered the room. Balthier glared at her. She flinched, not expecting such a reaction, even from him.

"Balthier?"

"Sorry Fran, the little brat kept me up all night…"

Fran raised an eyebrow and tried very hard not to smile.

"FRAN! PLEASE!" Balthier looked horrified.

"Fran smiled.

"Of course…"

Penelo yawned as she walked into the room.

"What I miss?"

Balthier shot Fran a "don't you dare" look. She chortled. Her laugh had a pleasant ring.

"I was telling Fran I think we should double Vaan's groundation."

Fran's eyebrow levitated once again.

"That's not-"

"Yes it is."

"I can assure you, it's -"

"Is too. Come on Vaan, glossair engines."

Vaan grinned hopefully and followed him while Penelo and Fran both placed a hand one their hips and shook their heads.

"I know not which pirate is the negative influence on who…"

"Neither of them know what they're talking about"

Linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline

"Hey…I think I got it!" Vaan exclaimed pushing the connections into the bottom of the Strahl.

"Well done Vaan, top notch"

Vaan grinned and Balthier patted him on the shoulder, proud of his teaching.

"Take a short break now, you can go and relax around the marketplace if you want, just stay away from the casinos and the burlesque houses."

"Burlesque houses?"

"Never mind."

Vaan looked confused but said nothing and walked off. Balthier had a grin plastered on his own face. My, he could be so crafty when he tried.

Linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline

"Hey Vaan, where have you been?"

"Shut up."

Balthier sat proudly in his chair with a pleased look.

"Found anything interesting in your travels boy?"

Vaan stuck his tongue out.

"FRAN! Balthier's mocking me!"

"Good," Fran replied, not looking up from her activity.

"But he tricked me."

"Okay."

"I did not." Balthier interjected, "I merely suggested you avoided the place. You did so anywhere…I can't believe they let you in…"

Penelo looked up from her own task. Fran had been teaching her some magick and she had been trying to cast Raise on a spider at the table. Balthier pretended he had no clue.

"What could have been so scary about a beach?" she asked.

Vaan glared at Balthier's happy face.

"You're not funny and for that STAY OUT OF MY ROOM!" Vaan yelled and stormed off to it. Penelo tried not to laugh.

"Balthier? What did he mean stay out of his room? What have you done?" Balthier shook his head.

"He's a petulant child throwing a petty tantrum…little does he realise, should I wish it, he would have no room.

Penelo lifted herself from her seat and followed Vaan. He lay on his bed with his feet against the wall.

"Hey Vaan? You okay?"

"Leave me alone."

"You don't mean that."

Vaan sighed.

"No….not really." he mumbled, "I just wish he wasn't so damn…you know."

Penelo sat on the bed beside him. He bent his knees and took his feet from the wall.

"Balthier isn't that bad Vaan, he's time the time to teach you how to fulfil your dream and how to work an airship and Fran's teaching me how to help and we're guaranteed our meals here."

"Do you think they care about us?"

Penelo blinked.

"What?"

"They're always so distance, emotion wise…Fran doesn't say much and Balthier…I'm not even going to try and explain the way he is…it's like he doesn't really care…"

"Now Vaan, if you want respect, you're going to happen to earn it, and trust isn't bought easily you know." Balthier stood in the doorway leaning his shoulder and head against the frame. His earrings jingled merrily.

"How long have you been standing there?" Vaan snapped.

"Time long enough." came the reply. "Penelo, Fran would like to finish her lesson, hurry now, she has more time than you do." Penelo nodded and obediently and walked off.

"She has her trained like a chocobo…." Vaan said bitterly.

"Sometimes you have to conform Vaan…"

"Ha! That's rich coming from you.""Now Vanny-boy, I know it's fruitless but you can't be a rebel all the time, I know I wasn't always the elegant wonderful scoundrel I am today."

"Evidently."

"Indeed. And yet some of what I say must get through to you. After all…" he smirked, "where else would you learn these complicated words."

Vaan stuck his tongue out.

"Put your tongue where it belongs or I'll remove it, now is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Do you like us? Me and Penelo."

Balthier stretched his right arm.

"Of course I do Vaan, if I didn't I would have grabbed the dawn shard and pushed you into the wall instead of throwing you off the battlement."

Vaan shook his head,

"That's not what I meant, would you cry if we died?" Vaan hadn't a clue why he was asking this, but since Balthier wasn't the contemptuous type he decided to give it a shot.

"That's not a pleasant thought…though I would be rather distraught at not having someone deface my property I'm sure it would fade after a while, that not withstanding, I would not cry, I do have some self-respect and dignity, you know."

"Dignity has nothing to do with it," Fran said walking passed with a tray of Elixirs.

"Thank you Fran…no, I wouldn't cry-"

"But the leading man can cry!" Vaan interrupted, "and the girls love it."

Balthier narrowed his eyebrows.

"I won't cry Vaan, understand that." He stood and left the room. He changed his mind at the doorway and spun around.

"Incidentally, am I still banned?"

Vaan sighed and shook his head.

"Alright then, what do you say we drag Fran to the beach?"

"No." said Fran walking passed again, this time with a tray of pebbles.

A/N: Guess where they're going next chapter? _laughs evilly And can't you just imagine Balthier saying Top Notch? XDDDDD_


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